Nuuk (AFP) – Washington’s ambition to take control of Greenland remained intact, Denmark said on Thursday, as a European military mission arrived on the mineral-rich strategic Arctic island, drawing a sharp rebuke from Russia. The developments came a day after a high-level meeting at the White House failed to resolve “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory that President Donald Trump has repeatedly said Washington needs to seize to ensure US security.
The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Wednesday. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a statement Thursday that “a working group” was being set up to discuss how Arctic security could be improved. “However, this does not change the fact that there is a fundamental disagreement, because the American ambition to take over Greenland remains intact,” Frederiksen said. “This is obviously a serious matter, and we are therefore continuing our efforts to prevent this scenario from becoming a reality,” she added.
The head of government’s comment came as European military personnel had begun arriving in Greenland. France, Sweden, Germany, and Norway announced Wednesday that they would deploy military personnel as part of a reconnaissance mission to Greenland’s capital, Nuuk. “Soldiers of NATO are expected to be more present in Greenland from today and in the coming days. It is expected that there will be more military flights and ships,” Greenland’s deputy prime minister Mute Egede told a news conference on Wednesday, adding they would be “training.”
Germany’s defense ministry said Thursday that the reconnaissance mission to Greenland by several European NATO members aims “to explore options for ensuring security in light of Russian and Chinese threats in the Arctic.” “The first French military personnel are already on their way. Others will follow,” French President Emmanuel Macron said on X. Trump has argued that if the United States does not take Greenland, “China or Russia will.” The Russian embassy in Belgium, where NATO is headquartered, said the arrival of NATO forces to Greenland was concerning. “The situation unfolding in the high latitudes is of serious concern to us,” the embassy said in a statement published late Wednesday. NATO is “building up its military presence there under the false pretext of a growing threat from Moscow and Beijing,” the embassy added.
After leaving the White House on Wednesday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said a US takeover of Greenland was “absolutely not necessary.” “We didn’t manage to change the American position. It’s clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland,” Lokke told reporters. He also noted that “there are no Chinese warships along the coast of Greenland.” “Nor are there any massive Chinese investments in Greenland,” he told the Danish press after the meeting. Trump, speaking after the meeting which he did not attend, for the first time sounded conciliatory on Greenland, acknowledging Denmark’s interests even if he again said he was not ruling out any options. “I have a very good relationship with Denmark, and we’ll see how it all works out. I think something will work out,” Trump said without explaining further. He again said Denmark was powerless if Russia or China wanted to occupy Greenland, but added: “There’s everything we can do.”
On the streets of Nuuk, red and white Greenlandic flags flew in shop windows, on apartment balconies, and on cars and buses, in a show of national unity this week. Some residents described anxiety from finding themselves at the center of the geopolitical spotlight. “It’s very frightening because it’s such a big thing,” said Vera Stidsen, 51, a teacher in Nuuk. “I hope that in the future we can continue to live as we have until now: in peace and without being disturbed,” Stidsen told AFP.
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